Isn't it strange (and rude) when decks tell us exactly what we'd rather not hear?

The Devil card, in any tarot incarnation, has a habit of pointing out to us our own misplaced obsessions and how deeply they transform our worlds, irrevocably even, if we aren't careful and observant enough to break free from their pull.

Today, this card reminds us to be mindful of habits, thoughts or actions that tie us to unhealthy situations. In this card, expressed by the story of Andromeda, we see she is pulling free from the chains, pushing herself from the rocks to which she was bound, and reaching out to the leaping fish, plunging freely in and out of the water. She is working towards releasing herself from her own captivity. Captivity enforced as a result of the prideful boasting of her mother. Pride is, after all, a hobby of the Devil.

And, though it breaks from traditional imagery and interpretation, this card is positive in that it encourages our forward momentum by the very assurance that we are capable of that momentum. That we are no more bound to the Devil than a wish is bound to reality. It is an unforgiving reminder to get off the hamster wheel of bad habits into the freedom this implies.

So how do we know when we are obsessed? I read a beautiful quote a while back (the originator escapes me) that was something along the lines of this: Don't think too much or you'll create new problems. And when you have an obsessive tendency, thoughts are often our own worst enemy. We think about the money we don't have, the money we do have, the money we'd like to have, the perfect lover, the perfect body. We think about all the things we want and how to get them. And not getting these things can have devastating effects on those whose thoughts are filled with them.

This devil is giving us permission to free ourselves from the meaningless habit of thinking ourselves into sadness, greed, need or self-pity. Free ourselves to move towards a better, healthier version of ourselves. Just, you know... don't think about that version too much!